As Proteus calls upon his divine power to staunch Grond's wounds, Sandros kicks the ogre's knee to create a distraction which allows him to back off in a tumbling whirl of blades.
Roylenna and Rana, then the ogre.
Grond groans out a (14+1=15)fortitude save.
Grond groans out a (14+1=15)fortitude save.
"Royl!" he shouts, pointing at Rana. "We need an ogre of our own!"
Roylenna casts Enlarge Person on Rana, as suggested, and uses a move action to make the Dancing Lights do figure-eights in front of the ogre.
Royl speaks a magic word and Rana grows in size enough to match the ogre. As his swords grow too, he brings them to bear on his surprised opponent. His right-hand blade connects, drawing blood from the ogre's side , while the ogre parries the other blade.
The ogre ripostes and Rana, unaccustomed to his new size, takes a devastating blow to his side, and falls to the floor, blood trickling out of his mouth.
Round 3. Proteus, Sandros and Roylenna, then the ogre.
Proteus carefully moves up within 20 feet of Proteus. Ensuring he is out of the ogre's reach he chants, "Aequo animo."
Proteus eyes grow large as he sees the next victim fall to the ogre. Mustering courage from his faith, he raises his hand again up skyward, still holding forth his shining talisman of Asclepius. "Aequo animo."
Stabilize on Rana.
Roylenna moves her Dancing Lights back toward the group, where it can clearly illuminate the ogre's features. She waves her hands as though to stop the fighting. In Common she yells, "You idiots, this is not Noc-Tuck the Ravenous! You can't go attacking everything you see!" She will do her best to get across the idea that this is a case of mistaken identity through pantomime in case the ogre doesn't understand her words.
Bluff, Diplomacy rolls (1d20 7=8, 1d20 3=17)
Stabilize on Rana.
Stabilize on Rana.
I will adjudicate all of this after Sandros acts.
I will adjudicate all of this after Sandros acts.
Seeing Rana fall, Sandros stops his retreat, realizing the desperate nature of the situation. Whispering a prayer to Corellon Larethian (possibly the last one he will ever utter), he leaps toward the ogre in a desperate lunge, but manages to only connect with air.
Acrobatics (1d20+8=19)
Rapier attack (1d20+5=7, damage 1d6+2=6)
Roylenna moves her Dancing Lights back toward the group, where it can clearly illuminate the ogre's features. She waves her hands as though to stop the fighting. In Common she yells, "You idiots, this is not Noc-Tuck the Ravenous! You can't go attacking everything you see!" She will do her best to get across the idea that this is a case of mistaken identity through pantomime in case the ogre doesn't understand her words.
Bluff, Diplomacy rolls (1d20 7=8, 1d20 3=17)
"Proteus, we've attacked an innocent! Can you share your blessings to heal his wounds?" She adds this as makes a 5' step away from the ogre, tugging on Sandros' sleeve, "pulling" Sandros back from his attack. "Sandros, we have to stop this foolishness!"
Grond's leg twitches as he dreams to himself of the good ole days. "Mmmff, he gurgles like a baby.
Proteus calls on divine power to stop Rana bleeding to death, while Sandros leaps into the fray, ducking the wildly swinging club long enough to get a stab at the ogre, but he misses. Royl decides that it is time to end the combat, tugging at Sandros's shirt, but all she manages is to distract him. The ogre seizes the opportunity and fells him with a backhand swing .
Round 4. Proteus and Royl.
Sandros barely has time to register that his desperate attack missed or hear Royl's plea for peace before a shadow falls across his vision, and the world explodes in pain.
Round 4. Proteus and Royl.
Having had enough of the carnage, Proteus steps forth, holding out his amulet. "Vitae", he declares with a voice that bears no contradiction
The ogre stops in it tracks and tentatively lowers its club, realizing that it is fighting two unarmed little people, one of which just healed him. He motions to Proteus to do it again.
Round 5. Proteus is up, then the rest of you in any order.
Round 5. Proteus is up, then the rest of you in any order.
Proteus tries to hide his fear and moves to stand directly in front of the ogre. He places his hands on the wound in the ogre's side, "Curatio minorus." Healing energy flows from his hands further sealing the wounds of the ogre. He looks to the others. "Leave him, he will not hurt you," he hopes.
BACKSTAB!
Rana lies in a large heap on the floor of the cavern, his helmet all but ruined.
Roylenna will walk up to the ogre, craning her neck up to emphasize how small and helpless she is this close in and asks, "Do you understand me?" in Common, then in Goblin.
If she gets an affirmative response, with all the earnestness of a child, she says, "Please forgive my friends. They were tense from our fight in the other room and I think you frightened them. You are very big, you know. We are looking for a man that is supposed to be lost here - do you think you might know how to find him?"
Once it is clear that combat is over, Proteus will sit against the cavern wall and begin a series of manipulations of good.
So long as everyone is getting along, Proteus will mumble, "I'm tired." Without thinking, he closes his eyes and falls asleep where he sits.
As Proteus lays his hands on the ogre it exhales in relish as its wounds close up. Grond's javelin has fallen out by now and the ogre is as good as new.
Roylenna is frantically trying to explain the situation to the ogre, but it doesn't seem to understand any language you speak. It just sighs and scratches its head slightly, then pushes Roylenna and Proteus aside in a not entirely unfriendly gesture and walks out of the dungeon, leaving you all puzzled but alive.
Once it is clear that combat is over, Proteus will sit against the cavern wall and begin a series of manipulations of good.
Sandros feels the healing energy flowing through him as he approaches the cleric. Wordlessly, he offers Proteus a bow of thanks.
So long as everyone is getting along, Proteus will mumble, "I'm tired." Without thinking, he closes his eyes and falls asleep where he sits.
Nodding, Sandros watches Proteus drift off. "Rest well, my friend," he says. "You've earned it."
Sandros then turns to Royl, his face taking on a more serious cast. Kneeling down to look her in the eye, he says, "That was well done, my lady. But if you ever do it again, I give you my oath here and now that it will be the last day I will ever travel by your side."
Shaking his head, he continues, "We lost Thorak to attacking without thinking, it's true, but even more than that, we lost him because we were not together. Sweet discourse is a fine thing, but when steel is drawn, we must set aside our doubts and fight with our companions to the best of our abilities - or we will all surely die. I will not promise to fight alongside any man or woman that I cannot trust to fight alongside me. This is no game, no children's play that ends when someone scrapes a knee. If weapons or spells fly, then we must commit ourselves to the fight without question, because we must assume that our enemies will do so as well, and if we hesitate, we are lost."
As Proteus lays his hands on the ogre it exhales in relish as its wounds close up. Grond's javelin has fallen out by now and the ogre is as good as new.
Roylenna is frantically trying to explain the situation to the ogre, but it doesn't seem to understand any language you speak. It just sighs and scratches its head slightly, then pushes Roylenna and Proteus aside in a not entirely unfriendly gesture and walks out of the dungeon, leaving you all puzzled but alive.
So long as everyone is getting along, Proteus will mumble, "I'm tired." Without thinking, he closes his eyes and falls asleep where he sits.
Roylenna walks over to the exhausted priest and tenderly puts her tiny hand on his shoulder, but says nothing lest she wake him.
Sandros then turns to Royl, his face taking on a more serious cast. Kneeling down to look her in the eye, he says, "That was well done, my lady. But if you ever do it again, I give you my oath here and now that it will be the last day I will ever travel by your side."
Shaking his head, he continues, "We lost Thorak to attacking without thinking, it's true, but even more than that, we lost him because we were not together. Sweet discourse is a fine thing, but when steel is drawn, we must set aside our doubts and fight with our companions to the best of our abilities - or we will all surely die. I will not promise to fight alongside any man or woman that I cannot trust to fight alongside me. This is no game, no children's play that ends when someone scrapes a knee. If weapons or spells fly, then we must commit ourselves to the fight without question, because we must assume that our enemies will do so as well, and if we hesitate, we are lost."
Roylenna draws herself up to her full height , a set to her jaw that you have not seen before. "Sandros, you fight with your sword and your bow. Grond uses a javelin and a falchion. Proteus and I have little such to offer. Our spells are not powerful - yet - and were going to do us no good with two of our number down in two swings. If I'd been foolish enough to attack, there would not have been enough of my tiny form to mop up off the walls. But there were "weapons" still available to us. I used the best one I had available, as did Proteus. Our combined efforts mean that we all of us live to fight another day. I did not have time to warn you of the tack I was taking, and I'm sorry for that. You are alive right now, and I'm not sorry for that. If I must decide in the future between something that might save your life or something that you take offense to, be assured that I would rather you hate me during a long, long life than see you die because I did not do what I could."
She begins to turn away to check on Grond, and looks back. "I barely got to meet Thorak and I regret his passing deeply. But he did not die because I was not there anymore than you got hit by the ogre because I was. In times of crisis, we have to make choices with what we have at that moment. Do not forget, when you accuse me of not fighting alongside you, that you stepped past me to lunge at the beast. I was there, too, and could have easily died if my tactic had failed. I was committing no less to the battle than you were."
Grand sighs as waves of divine relief flow through his system.
He stand and hears the disagreement of Roylenna and Sandros. "well, I for one am getting quite used to being pounded flat."
He watches the retreating form of the ogre and shakes his head in bewilderment. "I will try not to rush to attack heedlessly," he mutters.
Proteus's healing energies wash over you and you feel refreshed if still shaken.
The dungeon is still again. Do you want to investigate further or are you going to find a place to rest?
Grand sighs as waves of divine relief flow through his system.
He stand and hears the disagreement of Roylenna and Sandros. "well, I for one am getting quite used to being pounded flat."
He watches the retreating form of the ogre and shakes his head in bewilderment. "I will try not to rush to attack heedlessly," he mutters.
Roylenna walks over to the half-orc, relief plain on her face. Loud enough for all to hear, she says, "I so thought we were all lost. I am so glad to see you on your feet again, but it has taken all Proteus has, I think. Maybe we should camp and rest and, more importantly, develop some plans."
Later, maybe during one of their watches while they (presumably) rest, she speaks to Sandros...
She sighs, "I do not like that you are unhappy with me, but I understand it. I also know that you have a far better grasp of tactics than I. I give myself over to you -- teach me what I should do when the steel is crossed."
And at some point when she can speak to Rana
"Rana, I have not been able to use my green fire since you joined us. It is a mixed blessing - a boon to some, a bane to others, nothing at all to yet others. It is consistent - if it helps a person once, it never hurts them, but I am still unsure as to why it is one way with some and not others. I know that it heals Proteus and Sandros, but I have to wait to use it again or it does nothing. I know that it does nothing at all to Grond else I would have used it in our battle. I do not know what it does to you -- I could not use it on you while you were grievously wounded because it might harm you and I did not dare take the chance. While we are relatively hale and hearty and not in the midst of combat, may I test it on you now?"
If he agrees,
If he refuses,
"You are a sorceress!" Rana backs a step away from Royl. He is obviously uneasy with the suggestion of Royl touching him with her witches fire. If Royl seems hurt by the accusation he will do his best to get control of his fears,"I'm sorry little one but only the gods themsleves should be able to wield such power." With a nod to the sleeping Proteus,"or their servants. I do not blame you for what was done to you. You are not to blame for your parentage." Rana looks at Royl with sympathy and walks away to see about the ogre.
Rana looks around the immediate area to make sure there are no other surprises as the others talk to the ogre.
Later, maybe during one of their watches while they (presumably) rest, she speaks to Sandros...
** spoiler omitted **
He shakes his head a little, ruefully, as he continues, "I was trained in the arts of war by my father's kin. All too often, elves are mocked as weaklings, frail and delicate - yet who does not tremble when they march to war? What they taught me, I have learned to the best of my ability, and part of that knowledge is the potential of magic to turn the tide of battle. I know well your weaknesses - and your potential strengths. Nor do I doubt your courage.
"What concerns me is that we cannot work against one another if we are to fight as allies. Once we enter battle, you risk much if you attempt to parlay in the midst of fighting. People die that way, and most often it is those who try to talk who die first. With most ogres, holding back my strike like that would have been a death sentence - for me, for certain, and like as not for you and Proteus as well. It is an unacceptable risk, no matter that it paid off this time."
Sandros smiles a little, confronting the halfling's serious expression. "You need not fear that I think you will do anything other than what you deem best. Your spirit could outmatch the ogre for size. But if you would learn how best to use that spirit in war, I will do what I can to teach you. To begin, let us obtain the range of your abilities. I know of your blast of flame and your spell of growth. Can you do more?"
"You are a sorceress!" Rana backs a step away from Royl. He is obviously uneasy with the suggestion of Royl touching him with her witches fire. If Royl seems hurt by the accusation he will do his best to get control of his fears,"I'm sorry little one but only the gods themsleves should be able to wield such power." With a nod to the sleeping Proteus,"or their servants. I do not blame you for what was done to you. You are not to blame for your parentage."
Sandros watches the other man walk off with a shocked expression. "I had no idea..." He shakes his heaad in wonder, then turns back to Royl. "I wouldn't concern yourself with him," he tells her, trying to hold back a laugh. "I suspect he'll find value in what you do soon enough." The laugh does escape then, briefly. "And as someone with some experience in having your parentage belittled, I can assure you that it's something you get over pretty quickly..."
Fort saves (1d20+4=10, 1d20+4=9)
Hmm. maybe I should have let him do so.
The ogre's club must have smashed Rana's hip, which hasn't healed properly, because he now walks with a distinct limp.
Since the ogre is gone now and the tactical discussion concluded, you decide that the ogre's room must be safe at least, so you take a peek at it, first Grond and then all of you. It is a roughly elliptical natural cave, 70 feet long from where you enter and about 40 feet at its widest. There are three visible exits, to the left, right and straight ahead.
The corridor to the left, which is about 15 feet wide, turns into some sort of stone bridge as it crosses some sort of yawning gulf just some 15 feet away. The other two corridors both veer to the left, so that you can't determine where they lead.
The floral mosaic pattern ends in the middle of the room in front of a rough stone throne atop a two-foot high stone dais. The cave is littered with bones and offal. A pile of straw and a small box of animal carcasses are tucked in the northeast (far left) corner.
A preliminary search of the room doesn't turn up anything interesting. Do you want to proceed or do you prefer to find a place to rest?
Continuing the conversation with Sandros - it's not a secret, if anyone else chose to listen in...
"What concerns me is that we cannot work against one another if we are to fight as allies. Once we enter battle, you risk much if you attempt to parlay in the midst of fighting. People die that way, and most often it is those who try to talk who die first. With most ogres, holding back my strike like that would have been a death sentence - for me, for certain, and like as not for you and Proteus as well. It is an unacceptable risk, no matter that it paid off this time."
Roylenna nods in agreement, "I realize this, and I realized it at the time, but I must point out that I had no intention of interfering with your strike -- I merely intended to appear like I was, and misjudged your motion. For that I apologize. I thought we were dead, all five of us, and I felt we only had the slimmest chance of avoiding that fate. Fortune smiled on us, but don't think I expect it to happen next time. I would much rather avoid having a next time like this."
"You need not fear that I think you will do anything other than what you deem best. Your spirit could outmatch the ogre for size. But if you would learn how best to use that spirit in war, I will do what I can to teach you. To begin, let us obtain the range of your abilities. I know of your blast of flame and your spell of growth. Can you do more?"
She stops to reflect, the serious expression melts into a more familiar grin. "Well, I have several 'gifts,' as Calindy used to call them. I actually have two different types of flame - my green fire that helps or hinders you've seen , and another, broader sweep of flame that only harms . It's not very effective and hard to control -- I discovered it... Well, let's say that I tried to clear a nest of rats with it and did more damage to the granary than to the rats. I haven't used it much. Let's see - my 'bigger' spell you know, as you know my 'whispering' and 'moving lights' . I can create a small missile of acid that harms its target, but the green fire seems to be more effective (when it is harmful at all, of course). And last, if I concentrate, I can see things a little differently - Calindy tells me that enchantments would be visible to me as a glow on an object, but I don't think I've ever seen anything enchanted ." She stops and looks at Sandros with a slightly embarassed expression, "I guess I should be doing that as we come into new areas, should I not? Maybe it will help me notice something we would otherwise miss?" With that, she concentrates and slowly scans the room that they are sitting in.
"You are a sorceress!" Rana backs a step away from Royl. He is obviously uneasy with the suggestion of Royl touching him with her witches fire. If Royl seems hurt by the accusation he will do his best to get control of his fears,"I'm sorry little one but only the gods themsleves should be able to wield such power." With a nod to the sleeping Proteus,"or their servants. I do not blame you for what was done to you. You are not to blame for your parentage."
Roylenna is not hurt in the least. "Rana, no one can discern why the gods grant their gifts as they do, but they do not only share them with servants like Proteus. I am also a servant of the gods and they have granted my gifts, as evidenced in my pale hair and eyes. They are not the curse of a demon." She shrugs her shoulders, "I am proud of my parentage and of my gifts, but I know that not everyone sees it that way. Someday, you may understand why I feel as I do."
Do you want to proceed or do you prefer to find a place to rest?
Roylenna assumes we are letting sleeping clerics lie and, beyond looking around the chambers at either end of the hallway with her Detect Magic now that she realizes its potential, she's fine with resting right where Proteus is. Her discussion with Sandros is most important to her at the moment, anyway.
As the cleric sleeps, Sandros and Royl are still discussing tactical theory.
"...let's take, for example, our battle against the zombies in the crypt," Sandros is saying, with a brief moment of pain, "and our fight against the ogre just now. Though most people think that battle comes down entirely to skill at arms, that's not really true. It's extremely important, of course, but true warriors must understand the terrain as well as their weapon. In both of those two fights, the terrain played a huge role in determining our success - or, rather, our failure.
"When you outnumber your foe, as we did with the ogre, the best terrain to face them on is open terrain, with enough room to comfortably surround them. This allows you to take full advantage of your numbers, striking many times for every blow your opponent can inflict on you. It also allows you to attack from too many angles to be easily defended , which can open up potent opportunities for skilled attackers. This, of course, was the exact opposite of our situation with the ogre, as this tight hallway made it impossible for us to use our numbers to full advantage. And back in the crypt, with so many zombies to worry about, the open area of that crypt exposed us to too many possible attacks, threatening us with the possibility of separation and individual destruction, as wolves cull a young doe from the herd.
"Conversely, then, when numbers are on the side of your opponent, it is best to find narrow, confining ground on which to meet them. The ogre had this when we faced him; it was what I was attempting when I told Thorak to fall back to the doorway in the crypt. Doing this can minimize or entirely negate the numbers advantage your foe holds. If this is not possible, even fighting with your back to a wall, or better yet in a corner, can reduce your exposure, and prevent you from having to face too many foes at once. Such moves are dangerous, of course, because they also prevent you from being able to move or flee if needed, but they may be your only option. Alternatively, with four people fighting together, their backs to one another, you can fight with the knowledge that your allies will not leave you exposed – this a very strong formation for a small group of warriors, and can withstand assaults far more easily than those same four could, spread out.”
Sandros pauses thoughtfully. “Now, most of what I have said so far applies primarily to those who fight as I prefer to do: with blade, axe, hammer, and the like. If your case, however, you have an ability that my rapier lacks – range. This allows you to strike even when the territory would not permit it; in essence, you become an attacker who does not take up ‘space’ on the battlefield. Doing so requires firing into the heart of a melee, and sometimes even past your allies; it’s tricky, and will take time for you to develop the skill necessary to achieve it. But archers and spellcasters are a potent force not to be taken lightly.”
After another pause, Sandros continues, chuckling slightly. “You have another potency, as well,” he says, eyeing her height with a twinkle in his eye. “To a foe of my size, and even moreso to someone like that ogre, you don’t look dangerous. When faced with three swordsmen and an unarmed girl only half their size, who do you think most enemies will focus their attention on? Surprise can also be key, and your situation allows you to make the most of it. Don’t forget to do so.”